Five stars for the original album, three stars for this "Leg
M. Fulkerson | Portland, Oregon | 06/01/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Big Audio Dynamite's first album, "This Is Big Audio Dynamite", is definitely a classic in the "modern rock" world that existed throughout the 80's, and Mick Jones displayed what he had up his sleeve while he tried to work samplers and electronics into the mix on the Clash's "Combat Rock". Jones' desire to work with electronics ultimately lead to him getting kicked out of the Clash, but he proved that Big Audio Dynamite was a far more interesting concept at the time.
I'm happy this album has been remastered as the original CD from the 80's was absolutely awful in the audio department (you should own this album on vinyl anyway, but that's a different story). It's hard to believe that this album has been out for 25 years now, but it still sounds fresh and innovative while at the same time charmingly dated with its overuse of samplers and gimmicks. BAD's love of electro at the time sounded ahead of the game at the time, and the beats they incorporated haven't lost much flavor even by today's standards. For anyone getting into BAD today, this album is as good a place to start as any.
I would like to take a look at the second disc, though, and clear up any confusion there might be concerning the remixes and b-sides, and give a slight correction to the other review that is posted here on Amazon. I own every single 12", promo, and oddity from Big Audio Dynamite that exists, so I feel it is be my duty to plainly spell out what you're getting with this package since the studio never will!
First of all, it is really great to hear the tracks that have never been released. To listen to the 12" versions of "Sudden Impact" and "Stone Thames" after 25 years of hearing only the album versions is pretty interesting! These two versions are basically the exact same as the album versions with some extra instrumental time at the end ("Sudden Impact" containing an extra minute, "Stone Thames" containing two extra minutes). The vocoder version of "BAD" isn't, well, bad, but it's basically an instrumental of the album version with a lightly volumed vocoder doing lyrics over the top. Nothing special, but good to hear all the same. The unreleased track "Electric Vandal" was the highlight for me, and it would have stood well on its own as an album track. It is sung by Don Letts, and reminds me a little of the electro/ragga b-side "Much Worse" they released on the "Just Play Music" single. Also of interest (to me, anyway) is the version of "Albert Einstein Meets The Human Beatbox". A dub version of E = MC², this version is a little bit longer than the one that popped up on the various 12" singles at the time. It's the same track, just longer by about two minutes. The dub version of "Sony" is pretty good too, even if it is only an instrumental version of the album track. It does contain some extra production and dubby noises like echo and feedback that make it worth a listen, but it's nothing spectacular.
Based on these six tracks I would recommend this "Legacy Edition" to any hardcore Big Audio Dynamite fan. The track that was never released makes it worth a look, and the 12" versions, while nothing radically different, make you wonder why they didn't just include these versions on the original album in the first place. Unfortunately, the rest of the bonus disc offers more frustration and annoyance than anything else.
For instance, they offer edited mixes of "Medicine Show" and "A Party". The former song is nine minutes in length in its original form (here it's just over seven minutes), and the latter is over ten minutes in length in its original form (here it's only seven minutes). Why mess with these tracks and their lengths?? I suppose new fans won't notice, but for those of us who have listened to these mixes in the past just get annoyed that we're being offered a remastered edition of partial tracks. I understand that it would be impossible to fit all of their mixes and b-sides onto one disc, but come on, don't give us edited versions thinking we won't notice. We do notice! To add insult to injury, they say that the remix of "The Bottom Line" included here is the "12" Remix, Edited Version" which it isn't! The remix they include here is the US, Rick Rubin remix which is much different than the original UK extended remix. Another reviewer here on Amazon stated that the original US remix was over nine minutes long, and that's not correct. The UK remix was nearly nine minutes long (8:45 to be precise), and is basically the same as the album version up until the fourth minute where it takes off in a new direction and adds an entirely new set of lyrics. The US remix has these new lyrics as well, but it sort of just plods along with a dull beat never really picking up any energy. The UK 12" remix is fantastic, should have been the album version, and, sadly, is NOT included on this "Legacy Edition" in any form. What's more, the CD case on this edition states it's the edited mix, but it's simply the full and original US, Rick Rubin mix. It would have been nice if the record company could have been clear on this. The remix of BAD is also the US Rick Rubin remix which is barely different than the album version, but it is here in its unedited form on the "Legacy Edition".
So, I hope this helps anyone who may be a little confused about what it is exactly you're getting with this edition. It would have been great to see the omission of some songs that don't offer much (the remix of "BAD"), the FULL remix versions of others ("Medicine Show" and "A Party") and the inclusion of superior mixes over inferior mixes (the UK remix of "Bottom Line" over the US mix). I can't fault the company for including as much as they could, and remixes are simply a matter of opinion anyway, but editing down remixes thinking that fans won't notice is unacceptable. I mean, why didn't they mention that the remixes of "Medicine Show" and "A Party" were edits, and then go out of their way to mention that the remix of "The Bottom Line" is an edit when it's not? I look at this edition and think about how much better it could have been. For example, why not have full remix versions of "Medicine Show", "A Party", and "The Bottom Line" (UK remix), and completely get rid of "Albert Einstein Meets The Human Beatbox"? This last track is just a remix of "E = MC²" anyway, so why include two remixes of one track on the same disc?
Having said that, the original album is a classic and more than worthy of a remaster. I sincerely hope they plan on remastering all of Big Audio Dynamite's albums from the 80's....they are all classics!"
Glaring Omission
dietermod | Akron, OH United States | 05/14/2010
(3 out of 5 stars)
"BAD's original CD's were notoriously flat sounding so getting a remastered version of the songs not available on the compilations and best of CDs is very useful. Hopefully they will release the rest of the catalog in re-mastered editions as well. However, they left one the best tracks off. The original 9+ minute US 12" of the Bottom Line was one of BAD's best works and to my knowledge has never been available on CD (it is NOT one of the mixes on the Lost Treasures CD.) This song was for many of us, our first introduction to BAD and remains a classic with a special place in our hearts. Why include the dub/version edit of this song but not the original 12" mix?"
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1
